Thursday, May 31, 2007

REFUGEE WEEK 2007: THE VOICES OF YOUNG REFUGEES

June 17 – June 23

The Refugee Council of Australia is once again coordinating Refugee Week across Victoria and New South Wales. The week will now be celebrated in June to coincide with UN World Refugee Day on June 20. Refugee Week is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the amazing contribution that refugees make to Australian society. This year’s theme provides an opportunity to explore and try to understand the refugee experience from the perspective of children and young people.

With June not far away the Refugee Council would like to invite you to start thinking and planning how you, your school, your community or your workplace could participate in Refugee Week 2007. Whether through celebrations, fundraising for asylum seekers or activities that promote awareness of the issues, by doing something to mark Refugee Week we send a message that refugees are a welcome and important part of the Australian community.

This year to counter some of the negative media that refugees have been receiving we would like to see a positive refugee related story in every local newspaper. Download our resource kit from www.refugeecouncil.org.au for more information about how to make this happen.

For more information about Refugee Week please contact the Refugee Council on:

NSW – (02) 9211 9333
Victoria – (03) 9348 2245